Page 18 of The Politician

“They’re going to be hard to convince.” He handed over a file.

“I know. But I’m not fucking about over this. I can’t drive change if I don’t have some level of commitment from them. I need to win them over before I form the new party agenda. If I get the vote.”

Jeremy shook his head. “You’ll get the vote. They know your position on fracking, and we’re in the middle of an energy crisis. They’re going to be nervous.”

“And they should be reassured that I don’t have the power to do anything right now. But we need to think about the future and to build it sustainably together.” Sarah glared at him.

Kendra placed a cup of coffee on her desk. It had been one issue after another, with Jeremy questioning Sarah at every opportunity. Maybe it was anticipation over the vote, which should have been cast by now. She hoped the result would come through soon so they could celebrate, release the tension, and get back to something closer to normal.

“We have to continue to lobby the government against fracking, Jeremy. I live there, remember? This isn’t just about the energy companies; it’s about the homes of the people I serve.”

Jeremy shrugged. “The treasury will ultimately decide.”

Sarah stood. “And, when I’m leading this country, I’ll be appointing a new finance minister, and they’ll do what I tell them. This will be part of our manifesto for the election. I want it rock solid before we make public promises.”

Kendra admired that Sarah believed she’d already won not just the leadership campaign but the general election, even though the latter was more than a year away.

Jeremy looked down. “I’ll get digging,” he said and turned to leave the office. His phone rang. He listened and smiled. “You won,” he said.

The news hit Kendra as if it were her own success that had just been announced. “Yes!” Her stomach did a somersault when Sarah smiled at her. “Congratulations.”

Sarah stood. “Thank you.”

“Well done, Sarah,” Jeremy said.

“I bought champagne and cake,” Kendra said and ran out of the office.

She returned a few moments later, popped the cork, and cut the cake. “I’ll take it around the office.” Kendra left Jeremy to pour the champagne. She made a quick dash around all the desks, passed on the news, and returned to Sarah’s office with a half-empty plate.

“Cheers.” Jeremy took a sip of his drink. “Can you take a final look over the briefing statement for the press, and I’ll get it over to them within the hour? We’ll head out in a couple of hours to the Hook and Crane.” He took his glass and headed to his desk. “Sarah.”

He gave her a look that Kendra couldn’t read.

“The press?” Sarah asked.

He nodded. “We need this ship to be tighter than—"

“I know. I have no concerns on that front.” Sarah drank until she’d emptied her glass.

“You did it,” Kendra said, a little confused by the cryptic conversation that suggested the press might be an issue. Her chest filled with warmth and admiration, and she couldn’t stop staring at Sarah. Sarah held her gaze and the feeling reached her fingers and her core.

“It’s the first step,” Sarah said. She opened the file and gave her attention to the document inside.

“Do you need anything else?” Kendra asked. She was tired after the early start and what had already been a twelve-hour working day. It was going to be at least another two hours before Jeremy had finished up so they could head to the bistro bar for a celebratory drink with the team. She might not get home before midnight, and there would be another early start tomorrow as Sarah’s demands increased with her new appointment.

Sarah handed her a piece of paper. “Can you arrange for me to meet with each of these people over the next week, please? The names on the left first, then the names on the right. There are going to be some changes.”

Kendra studied the paper. Some names were familiar, others not. This whole process seemed harsh though. One minute they were in a job, the next they weren’t. But she didn’t get the sense that Sarah was doing this for any other reason than to secure the best chance of winning the election. “Sure,” she said and started towards the door.

“You don’t have to do it tonight. Have another drink.”

Kendra took a seat.

Sarah smiled and finished her second glass of champagne. She leaned forwards on her desk. “Let’s assume I win the election. What would you do if you were in my position?” she asked.

Kendra’s mind went blank. She hadn’t expected to be asked her opinion and hadn’t got a fully considered response. The more she’d seen of Sarah doing the job, the more she appreciated how difficult it was to achieve anything without upsetting someone.

“You’re a very bright woman with a passion for the environment. You remind me of a younger me. What would you want to see changed?”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com